


Mr. and Mrs. Melon Lord

by fortunecookie



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adulthood, Courtship, F/M, Government, Growing Up, Harmony Restoration, Marriage, Post-War, Pregnancy, Restoration, Royals, Toph/Zuko - Freeform, diplomats, fetus!Lin, mostly canon-compliant, strategic union, toko - Freeform, zoph
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-26
Updated: 2014-03-26
Packaged: 2018-01-17 03:05:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1371577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortunecookie/pseuds/fortunecookie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the marriage of the century that no-one expected: Lady Toph Bei Fong of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Lord Zuko of the Fire Nation.</p><p>(A story told in three parts, set after the war as the nations rebuild - albeit fragilely - and the two young royals have grown up.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mr. and Mrs. Melon Lord

**Author's Note:**

> ♪(┌・。・)┌
> 
> If you're into it, check out these amazing AMVs!
> 
> Toko, Quiet by Lights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J_3AAGfyuA  
> Toko, Coming Home by Diddy ft. Skylar Grey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J_3AAGfyuA
> 
> ( ﾉ^ω^)ﾉﾟ

 

_Book 1_

All that is born, all that is created, all the _elements of nature_  are interwoven and  _united_  with each other.   
_—Gospel of Mary Magdalen_ e  

 

Zuko didn’t fall in love with the blind, mouthy earth-bender overnight. It wasn’t a love-at-first-sight sort of relationship, and it certainly wasn’t easy; but that was the pattern his life had always taken so Zuko accepted that. 

Zuko and Toph were far from the misunderstanding of Zuko’s first days with Team Avatar and the hurt she’d felt when he burned her feet. In fact, after so many days on the road during their travels, they developed a tacit kinship. Zuko and Toph understood the other's severed familial relations and their perennial sense of searching; the hollow space of belonging in their lives that they felt when looking at Sokka and Katara - _that was the family that was easy_. Zuko likes to think that even back then, they had an unspoken something between them. He knows, though,that in reality they didn’t really start talking until after the War.

They became good friends in the early years of the Harmony Restoration Movement, while the four nations were slowly rebuilding their confidence and peace. After all the war and destruction, people gently eased back into their old ways of life. They worked hard and humbly, ever aware of the change in the elements - of the people lost - and they were spurned onwards to reconciliation. If not for their sins, them to prevent future conflict. If anything, the four nations and their benders became more intertwined than ever. It got to the point where it was commonplace for your neighbor to be a Waterbender, and for the fishmonger to be a Firebender, and the village leader to be a Non-bender.

All this was good but difficult. The pressure of his title and the loneliness of the palace after Mai had left him weighed on Zuko. But he threw himself into redeeming his home - there were nobler things to do, he rationed. Despite all the stress on the job, he learned to breathe here and there, and he found himself happy, which was something that surprised even him.

As the newly crowned Fire Lord, he’d started traveling with Toph as a sign of goodwill to the neighboring Earth Kingdom/Fire Nation colonies, and she was an effective, albeit surprisingly frank, communicator with her people. It seemed like a natural thing to do: she was a skilled Earthbender and a friend to the Avatar, so she was granted a special sort of presence in the Earth Kingdom circles and was highly respected as a Bei Fong clan member. Maybe it was during the endless provincial visits, or the council meetings, or the public relations bending campaigns, or the friendly exchanges that they became close.

At first it wasn’t noticeable, least of all to them. But after a while Zuko realized that when he needed advice on a treaty, Earth Kingdom related or not, he’d turn to his trusted advisor, the delightful and spunky Lady Bei Fong (Toph detested that title, she preferred ‘’ to ‘Lady’); he often discussed matter of the day and random thoughts with her over a cup of Jasmine-Dragon brewed tea, and they spent a great deal of time together as influential leaders in the border patrol and town law. They traveled a lot so they learned all the other person’s quirks, and by a serendipitous twist of fate Fire Lord Zuko realized that he might just be falling for the indispensable, tough-as-nails short-stuff, little sister material, rebellious blind earthbender that he’d quickly dismissed as a rash boy of 16.

But he had to hand it to her, she had grown up. And quite nicely, too. She was taller now, only a little bit shorter than him, and her jet-black hair had grown out of its bun. She still didn’t care about her appearance, but her face had a gentler look about it. Its angles weren’t as sharp as her insults somehow. Her eyes, the palest sightless green Zuko had ever seen, were still as startling as ever. Somewhere along the way she’d matured into a woman. Even her chest - and he tried not to look - had grown into curves around her lithe body. Her clothes had been redesigned in robes like Avatar Kyoshi, but with more movement and metal bending in mind. Her voice still hinted at an impulsive restless youth, but she’d learned enough composure to become appointed the upcoming metropolis of Republic City’s first Chief of Police.

She had blossomed.

How old were they now? He pondered for a minute. He was twenty-two, she was eighteen. When he was sixteen, not a single thought of Toph, then twelve, as his potential girlfriend had passed his mind, but now, four years didn’t seem as much at all.

 

“Yo, princess? Your dunderhead guards have been looking all over for you!” she waved, the signature smirk plastered on her porcelain face.

He relaxed as he saw the familiar figure running up to him on a rock-a-launch. As showy as always, he thought, shaking his head bemusedly. She was more dignified in public, of course, but when alone she still used the exact same nicknames for the gang as she had so long ago.

“What can I say? I need a little break from all your yelling once in a whi - ow! What was that for?”

“Running away, you idiot. You can’t just go off and expect everyone to be all a-okay and cool with it! People get worried,” she muttered hurriedly.

Now it was his turn to smile. _People get worried. Were you...?_ He wondered.

“Remember back at the Ember Island Players? After the Avatar play and you punched me? And you said, ‘That’s how I show affection’?’

Toph blushed uncharacteristically. “Yeah. What about it?”

“Nothing,” he said, distracted. “I was just reminiscing.”

“We were kids.”

He stared at the bangs covering her eyes and wondered when he had began to feel this aware around her. She had a temporary residence in the palace since she came over frequently for the council meetings, and eventually she ended up getting her own guest quarters as the Earth Kingdom Ambassador for Peace and Metalbending. He hadn’t felt such self-perception and second-guessing since.... Well, since Mai.

“Well, hothead, let’s get back to the palace. Your guards are gonna go crazy up there,” she said, rolling her eyes, a skill she had managed to perfect without vision.

He began walking when Toph abruptly pulled him aside with a mischievous look on her face.

“Oh, Agni, you better not be getting any ideas, Ms. I-Can-Rockalaunch-to-Everywhere -” he sputtered before a wave of dirt hit him in the face.

“Why walk,” she said in a drawl, “when you can bend?”

 

That’s how he remembers the day they had the most fun he’d had in ages and shocked an entire palace-ful of servants and politicians with a rock and fire hybrid movable bridge that shot up in the sky.

Zuko smiled to himself. Yeah, Toph had grown up, brushed up her appearance a bit, and was surprisingly tolerant enough of diplomacy to become an ambassador; but inside she was still that rebellious, fun-loving Earthbender he’d befriended so many years ago - when they were kids.

 

_Book 2_

 Attack like the _Fire_ and be as still as the _Mountain_.  
_—Sun Tzu, The Art of War_   

 

She’d heard the rumors before he knew of them.

She knew that when people heard she was blind, they then automatically assumed that she was a little helpless. But they often left their guards down, and she learned a bunch of palace info that came in handy. Rumors, gossip, talk through the grapevine... Stuff that the Fire Lord didn’t get much access to. So she’d fill him in, and he’d be amazed at the talk concocted in his own home.

Toph had heard a ton of crazy junk, but it totally came as a shock when she heard the rumors about the bachelor Fire Lord and his esteemed (and rowdy) houseguest, the Lady Bei Fong.

The first whispers had passed her ears when a gaggle of cleaning maids had congregated on their day off in the marketplace, and they had bowed respectfully when they passed her, but as soon as they thought she was out of earshot they’d giggled and gossiped about the time the two spent together. It only took a few minutes of eavesdropping before a deep blush flushed her face.

 _Agni, why am I freaking blushing so much now... I’m going soft,_ she thought, and she quickly returned back to the palace, ears burning as bad as Zuko’s scar.

She let it go the first time, but after the third time she heard it whispered behind half-closed doors she decided she had to let Zuko know before his reputation was ruined.

After pacing in front of the palace wing where Zuko's chambers were, she built up her resolve and firmly pushed the door to enter the corridor. She approached his door and knocked on it, frowning a little as yet another gaggle of servant girls with too-keen eyes passed by her with clothes in their hands. No doubt they were thinking about how she was one of the few people with unrestricted access around the palace...

She facepalmed as she realized how this might look. _No wonder there’s talk._

As she waited her mind went in circles.

God, _what’s in it anyways, I mean, come on, me?_   _The blind, mannerless, rough Earthbender being his romantic_ partner - ? _Of course, in public I’m the firm, authoritative, tenacious Earth Kingdom Peace Ambassador... ah! Not that that makes any difference!_

“Coming!” he grumbled. “Give me a minute.”

He’d obviously scrambled to get up (she inwardly sighed, she had told him that the late-night-late-morning approach to Fire Lord-ing never worked out) and looked disheveled when he finally opened the elaborate firewood door. For a second he blinked until his gold eyes focused on the woman in front of him.

Her sightless eyes were trained on his bare chest, which made him feel strangely warm until he remembered she wasn't rarely looking at him. He gave a sigh of relief. He didn’t think it was going to be Toph at the door, so he hadn’t really dressed up properly or anything... And he definitely just threw on whatever he could find.

She coughed, mouth still hardened into a thin line.

“We’ve got to talk,” she said.

He looked at this strange, all too serious disposition and said, “Uh, OK?” He went over everything they'd discussed about the negotiating with the outer districts in his head; everything seemed to be in order. _Why was Toph here?_ He scratched his head. “Well, don't just stand there, come in.”

An expression almost like conflict passed her face, and he almost began to regret it when she abruptly shrugged and said, “Sure.”

She stepped inside and wriggled her toes in the carpet, then rapidly moved over to the wooden floor. She seemed to be taking in her new surroundings via her seismic sense when Zuko guided her towards a bench. A portrait of Zuko’s family was framed beside the bed.

“Thanks,” she murmured, hanging on to the hand a second longer than usual - or had Zuko just imagined it?

A flare of hope wanted to say it wasn’t a hallucination.

“It’s kind of a delicate situation, but I won’t beat around the bush,” she said, looking in the direction slightly right of Zuko.

“Go ahead,” he nodded. 

“I was thinking that I might live apart from the palace for a while. Tour Yu Dao and the Earth Kingdom to check up on the Metal-bending Force Academy, pay a visit to Air Temple Island, overview some construction -”

Zuko frowned, suspicious of what he was hearing. He was downtrodden by her stiff composure - Toph was acting like she did in public. Aloof, strong. Unfeeling, formal. His eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re not one to suggest work for yourself.” He hoped she wasn’t deciding to leave because of him.

She snorted. “No, but under the circumstances -”

“And what are the circumstances?”

She regarded him, took a deep breath in, and a pale pink blush spread across her cheeks like wildfire.

“The palace thinks that we’re a couple. I don't think it's fair that your reputation is disparaged -”

“What? Since when?” Just like she had suspected, Zuko was taken aback.

“A few weeks ago, I overheard some servants. But - the rumor has spread.”

“What did they mean by ‘couple’?”

She blushed even more now, blowing her bangs in irritation.

“Let’s just leave it at the fact that we spend quite some time alone, so naturally they started wondering what we do.”

“Oh.”

“Yep.”

They lapsed into an awkward silence until Zuko broke the tension.

“Do you have to go?”

She considered the question, then looked up to him. “Whatever you think is best.”

He regarded her sadly, hearing the very words he dreaded hearing - he hated it when the ambassadors said that. Whatever your expertise guides to, Fire Lord Zuko, whatever you want, my Lord. It showed respect, yes, but also fear. He’d never gotten used to having people act like that to him after his banishment. The first thing he’d said to his friends after his coronation was that nothing had changed between them: just because he had a fancy new title meant nothing to their exchanges, which he secretly hoped would be as frequent and friendly as they had been before. Unknowingly, though, they’d begun to drift until only Toph and Aang (the latter communicating more on the business side) remained in constant contact.

But now here Toph was.

“The rumors have to go.” Zuko said half-heartedly.

“Yeah.” Her agreement was too fast for his liking, but there was an odd tinge of sadness.

“Toph?”

“Hmm, princess?”

Toph’s nicknames had six-year warranties. A ghost of a smile played on his features.

He took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to go.”

Toph’s eyes widened for the fraction of a second, then she lowered her head and fidgeted with her space bracelet. She hated all the mushy feelings that stirred up in her heart.

She knew he wasn’t lying, she had honed her lie detection vibration detecting.

“Really?” she said, so quietly at first that Zuko thought she was muttering to himself.

“Yes. You mean so much to me.”

The words just tumbled out so fast Zuko was caught in surprise when a grin slipped out of her tight mouth.

“Well, if you're going to miss me that much." 

He could've sworn there was something fond in her expression.

And that was the end of that - Toph didn't leave.

 

The next few weeks were a blur. There were a series of conferences on the disputed territories in the outlying villages, and heated political debate along with farmers revolting and resurfacing dissent against his ‘illegitimate birthright’ to the throne - there was no denying the former Fire Lord had denounced his son - was head-achingly difficult for the young sovereign. He found little time to sleep and eat, much less talk to and entertain Toph, who was also busy on her own weapons defense guidance tour. He longed to sit beside her, talking about the crazy politics of the day by the duck pond.

With a lack of stimuli the rumors gradually died away until they became old woman’s gossip, just a hair of truth in them. Zuko noticed Toph had subconsciously shied away from him in public, and when he was in bed he’d restlessly wonder why.

Finally one day he’d popped in to visit Iroh at his tea shop on a whim when he spotted her with a steaming cup of plum blossom/leechi nut/ginger root tea; her favorite oddball concoction his uncle had whipped up as the ‘Bei Fong Blend’.

“Zuko! I haven’t seen you in so long,” Uncle Iroh said with a big grin. “How is my favorite nephew?”

“I’m your only nephew, Uncle,” he smiled as Iroh patted him vigorously on the back.

“I know. It sounds much better than ‘only nephew’ though. I’m glad you came to visit.”

“I’d try to visit more, but -”

Iroh shushed him with a wave of the hand.

“Don’t worry, I understand. Don’t forget, I was once in line to inherit the throne myself!” he shook his head and chuckled. “Been giving you a rough time, eh? Nothing tea and rest won’t heal?”

Zuko’s gaze was drawn to the woman sitting in the back, looking deep in thought. Iroh followed his gaze and gave a knowing look to him.

“Ah, nothing tea, rest, and Toph, won’t heal, eh?”

Zuko blushed. “No, it’s nothing like that, Uncle,” he fervently denied.

Iroh shrugged, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Perhaps I should set you up, like I did with that Jin girl. You really would make a wonderful couple,” he said, sighing, then leaned in conspiratorially. “She has grown quite a bit.”

The Fire Lord blushed further and rolled his eyes. “Toph’s just a friend. And you’re a decent wingman, Uncle, but I think I can handle this.”

Iroh whistled as he poured out the tea. “You know I’m just looking out for your happiness. You’ve been alone in that big palace with politics for a while now. It might be nice to act a bit young for a change.”

“I know, I know.” he sighed, glancing at Toph.

“What are you waiting for, go!” Iroh said, pushing a tray of tea towards him.

Zuko gave him a writhing glare - Iroh merely grinned wider - as he approached the girl.

“Did someone order plum blossom, leechi nut, and ginger root infused tea?” he set the kettle down on the table.

Toph turned around to face the voice and gave a small gasp.

“Zuko!”

She tackled him, knocking the wind out of him in a single blow.

“Ooo, looks like someone needs sparring!”

“You pack a heavy punch,” he muttered.

“Of course.”

She grinned and motioned for him to join her.

“It’s been so long,” she lamented. “I’m so sorry I haven't been to the palace recently, I was hung up with Earth-Kingdom-y Omashu battalion policies” - to this she stuck her tongue out - “and heck, it was boring. Wow, is it great to see you, Sparky! Not to mention you brought my tea, too, bonus points for acting like a servant,” she said.

“My pleasure,” he murmured, sitting down. “I imagine the Omashu business won’t tide over until the month is over, considering their slow infrastructure?”

“You said it. The Omashu politicians keep on avoiding and ditching the legalities, so I’m stuck here for now,” Toph sighed. “At least there’s your Uncle.”

Zuko felt a twinge of jealousy that his Uncle got to see her more than he did. He looked at her, looking serene in silk clothes. She wore her hair up in a topknot, stray ends brushing against her cheeks, plain traveling clothes embroidered with Earth Kingdom stitching.

Even with washed out clothes she looked fantastic.

The sound of Toph speaking brought him out of his daze: “...of course it’s not like I can write or read any letters, and the melon headed police aren’t getting metal-bending at all...”

Suddenly she stopped. “You OK?”

“Yeah, fine. Why?”

“Oh, nothing." She frowned. "I just sensed your heart beating a little faster all of a sudden, that’s all.”

Zuko gently pushed a strand of jet-black hair behind her ear.

 

 

Zuko was pretty sure that Toph knew about his feelings for her. Heck, even Aang and Sokka and Katara had caught on when they visited a while back and Zuko spilled tea on her. (They had endlessly teased him after that.) The unknown part was whether she felt the same. He just couldn’t tell sometimes, in between all the insults and the bending prowess.

So when it was his coronation anniversary, he pulled her aside at the festivities.

“I know you hate these fancy things, so I have something for you.”

Her face lit up. “Yay, I do hate these parties. I have to dress up in stupid ceremonial dresses. Blech.”

He chuckled. He wouldn’t tell her (not now at least) that he thought she was one of the prettiest girls he’d seen in that emerald silk cheongsam with a decorative meteorite armor band and platinum gauntlet (the accessory being worn to the designers chagrin and Toph’s insistence on battle-ready wear, as usual). Her hair was tied up tonight in a joint Fire Nation/Earth Kingdom hairpiece out of jade and ruby, and it had ringlets framing her face instead of the normal unruly bangs he was so accustomed to seeing.

An odd thought struck him that she looked like how he envisioned harmony: strong, beautiful, and together.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts and led her to the courtyard, bringing her to the edge of the duck pond. 

_I hope this isn't too weird of a surprise..._

“Come on. You’ll miss it. Use your seismic sense. What do you see?”

She frowned in concentration and struck the Earth with a solid kick, waiting for the vibrations to rebound back to her. No matter how many times she did it it still amazed the Fire Lord.

“Everything’s the same.”

“Except for that patch of pure, top-notch quality Earthbending-refined metal twisted into a Melon Lord sculpture to your right?” he grinned idiotically.

“Agni!” she yelled, grabbing the statue and cradling it. “Wow... Thanks so much, Zuko, it’s really awesome,” she shook her head in amazement. “I almost forgot about Melon Lord,” she said fondly, “Good times.”

“I guess I’d be the Melon Lord now,” he smirked.

“Yep, indeed you would. And you make a very fine, juicy, brainless melon,” she said, narrowly dodging a playful fireball.

“I’m happy you like it.”

“I do. Honestly, though, Zuko, it’s your celebration, not mine! I should’ve gotten you something.”

“Oh, the mighty Toph forgot something!” he ribbed.

“I did not forget,” she huffed, pale eyes naturally bright. The next words came out in a whisper: “I was just saving it for when I thought it was best.”

Then she Earthbend-ed herself up to his height on a platform of soil and kissed him.

Zuko stiffened at first and she parted the kiss for a second, mortified, but then in his daze the Fire Lord pulled her back in for the kiss. It was a chaste, quick kiss, not like the heated ones he’d had with Mai, but it was just as enjoyable. Her hand, rough but slender, grazed his scarred cheek.

Toph smirked. “I felt you shudder then, the vibrations were really strong. I was put off for a moment, honestly, Melon Lord, I thought you’d be able to handle it?“

“Shut up,” he commanded her, and then kissed her again, savoring the taste of her. Her lips were a little chapped, but they were soft and rosy and frankly, he didn’t care.

Toph was surprised at how gently he had kissed her.

“I think you shuddered then.”

She glowered at him and then her glare softened. She smiled. “The rumors.”

“Let them think what they want,” Zuko said, grinning, interlacing their arms and spinning her around the garden.

Just as he stopped twirling her, Toph’s face heated up and she swiftly and ably delivered a rock kick towards the direction of the bush, wherein the butts of three very eager eavesdroppers - Aang, Katara, and Sokka - laid planted firmly on the ground in anticipation. Zuko laughed his head off while watching his girlfriend shaking her fist at them as they laughed their heads off.

“Don’t you ever tell anyone about this!” She shouted.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Mrs. Melon Lord!” Sokka quipped back.

The gang howled with laughter to see the two’s faces turn beetroot red.

 

_Book 3_

 Why not other elements besides _fire_ , air, _earth_ and water? There are four of them, just four, those _foster parents_ of beings!  
_—Guy de Maupassant, Le Horla et autres contes fantastiques_

 

Lin came as a complete surprise. Toph was beside herself with shock when she discovered she was pregnant, and Zuko was beside himself with fear and jubilation. _His wife was carrying their daughter._ He could not be more proud or more scared of what was to come.

“How’re you doing?” he said gently, rubbing his wife’s stomach in a soothing circle.

She rolled her sightless eyes and pushed his hand away. “Aw, come on, Sparky, I’m not all helpless. I’m freaking Toph Beifong, metalbending prodigy and police chief, and if I wasn’t pregnant with our child I would be kicking your little Fire Lord butt right now,” she grumbled.

Zuko merely smiled and kissed her forehead, which was concealed in bangs. He fingered the gold scarlet and emerald Fire Nation/Earth Nation insignia which was the centerpiece of her twisted bun.

“I missed you too,” he sighed, reveling in the touch of her skin. She smelled of green tea and rich soil. “Meetings are so boring when I could be here next to you instead. And our baby.” he said again, grinning lopsidedly.

Even though she couldn’t see, she knew an idiotic grin when she sensed it. And ever since the news had come out - only days after the announcement of Aang and Katara’s child, no less - he had been in a state of anxious bliss.

“You are going to be one great dad. I can see her now, a spitting image of her father, firebending master, too, great looks,” Toph teased. “She’ll probably adopt your brooding moods and my gung-ho attitude, plus our bending prowess, so honestly, she’s going to be miles ahead of Twinkle Toes and Madame Fussy Britches’ kid.”

Zuko smiled. “That’s my girl. Girls.” he corrected, looking down lovingly at Toph again. “You know, though, she might not even turn out to be a bender at all. And who knows if she’ll be like us? Maybe she’ll turn out like her great-uncle,” he joked.

Toph was unnaturally silent. Zuko began to twiddle with his thumbs, wondering if he’d struck a wrong nerve.

“Hey, Uncle Iroh isn’t all just bad body odor and unseemingly appearances,” he attempted to laugh.

Toph’s face lit up. “Yeah, he’s full of tea, too! I swear he’s trying to make the baby a connoisseur already.”

Iroh had been absolutely thrilled when the royal couple had announced Toph’s pregnancy and insisted on blending a special tea for the Fire Lady whenever she was to visit him in Ba Sing Se, for ‘good health and childbirth’.

Toph snuggled her face into Zuko’s robes and gave a short sigh.

“Zuko, tell me the truth,” she stated monotonically, “what do you think are the chances she’ll be born blind, like me?”

The Fire Lord gave a start, and then mentally berated himself for not thinking about that sooner. Of course she’d be worried about not being able to ‘see’ her child like a normal parent.

No, he thought stubbornly. She’ll be the best mother in the world. No matter if she’s blind.

“Toph,” he spoke tenderly.

She gazed at him and reached up to touch his scar.

“It’s OK. Everything will be alright, I promise you. Our little girl is going to be just fine - even if she’s blind, sure, she might face some difficulties, but heck, look at you! Your seismic sense blows the heck out of me; it’s simply amazing. She’ll be able to connect with you even more and sense the Earth. And trust me, Toph -” he placed a finger to shush the inevitable protests that would arise from her mouth - “You are a million times better than your parents. You’ve learned the importance of individuality and you are just amazing. She’s the luckiest girl in the world, as far as I’m concerned.”

Toph grinned and propped herself up on her elbows. “That was the sweetest, most dolt-like, sickeningly cliche thing I’ve heard in ages, Zuko.”

Zuko shrugged good-naturedly. “I try.”

“Wow... all this waiting...” Toph blew absent-mindedly in irritation. “I’ve been thinking all these thoughts! The baby’s nursery, her training, her school, how we’ll name her, the procession, how we’ll tell the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. They were happy about our union, but what about if the future ruler is a blind kid?”

Zuko stared at her lazily. "Lin'll be fine."

Toph scoffs. "Easy for you to say. I'd love to have her grow up and metal bend but I'm not too far gone to start going up to Dragon Hill of Magic Mo-jo and start praying." 

Zuko just says, "Now that's the spirit," and pulls her in closer to kiss the pout off her face. "I believe in you."

 

  
 "Love is a luxury."  
"No. Love is an element."  
An element. Like _air_ to breathe, earth to stand on.”  
 _—Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone_     


There were some elements in this brave new world that never changed.


End file.
